


Something Borrowed

by Brumeier



Series: At The Movies [5]
Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Alternate Universe - Movie Fusion, Dysfunctional Family, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Drama, First Kiss, First Meetings, First Time, M/M, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-16
Updated: 2016-05-16
Packaged: 2018-06-08 18:19:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6868231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brumeier/pseuds/Brumeier
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Movie Fusion: The Wedding Date</p><p>Rodney just wanted a date to his sister's wedding, so he wouldn't have to admit being a failure at relationships. But what he got was so much more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Something Borrowed

**Author's Note:**

  * For [smiles2go](https://archiveofourown.org/users/smiles2go/gifts).



[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/156598319@N08/35962592401/in/dateposted-public/)

* * *

Rodney waited nervously at the gate, boarding pass in one hand as he scanned the crowd. He was plagued with second-thoughts, which didn’t come naturally to him. In his lab he was confident and sure, even when he was wrong. Which was rare, just for the record. 

“I’ve been working really long hours,” he said to the young woman sitting beside him in the waiting area. “How am I supposed to have time for a relationship?”

The girl gave Rodney a side-long look and shifted away from him, pulling her magazine up to cover her face. It was clear she didn’t want to talk, but that never stopped him.

“I haven’t been home in over two years. Do you have any idea the kind of pressure that puts on me? I tried to talk my sister out of getting married, but of course she never listens to me. I mean, an English teacher? Is she serious? I can’t believe she convinced me to come back for this.” Rodney turned the boarding pass around and around in his hands. “I had to leave Zelenka in charge and I know that little Czech bastard is plotting to overthrow me.”

Actually, the lab was the least of his concerns at the moment. He was anxious about going home after so long, especially for a wedding he didn’t approve of. And he was worried about his companion for the weekend, who should’ve been there by now. What if he’d changed his mind?

“Look, if you don’t mind –” the woman started to say, but Rodney didn’t pay her the slightest bit of attention. His wedding date had arrived.

“Oh. Wow.”

As promised, John was wearing black jeans and a black turtleneck. He was ridiculously good looking. Or maybe it was just Rodney. He turned towards the woman next to him, who was doing a bit of ogling herself.

“Is he as hot as I think he is? Hot enough to take across the border?”

“He’d be hot at the South Pole,” the woman said breathily. “In a speedo.”

Rodney scowled at her. “Hey! Stop picturing my date naked!”

“He’s with _you_?” The disbelief in her voice didn’t help his nerves at all, but there was no time to call her on it.

John walked over – sidled might be a more accurate term – and pulled Rodney up out of the chair, tugging him forward for a quick, chaste kiss. “Rodney. Nice to see you.”

“Oh, uh. You too. Hi.” Rodney couldn’t believe his luck. Maybe this trip wouldn’t be so bad after all. “You have your boarding pass? And your passport?”

“Right here.” John patted the carry-on bag slung over his shoulder. “Don’t worry. It’s gonna be clear blue skies from here on in.”

“That’s very pithy.”

“Plenty more where that came from,” John assured him with a smirk.

Rodney flushed and gathered up his own carry-on as boarding was announced for people seated in first class. He wasn’t a big fan of flying, so if he was going to entrust his safety to a metal tube hurtling through the air he’d at least do it in a comfortable seat. Intellectually he understood the mechanics of flight, he knew how it all worked from an engineering and physics standpoint, but that didn’t make the process of flying any easier for him.

“Sorry we couldn’t leave earlier,” John said as they walked down the jet way. “I know you would’ve liked to get settled in before the party.”

“Yes, well. I’m sure things are busy for you this time of year. You know. With work.” Rodney wasn’t very good at small talk, but he was excellent at filling up awkward silences with even more awkward conversation. “I should warn you. Those families where everyone’s out of their minds but at the end of the day you love them because they’re family? Mine’s not like that.”

“You need to relax.” John sounded amused, and he squeezed Rodney’s shoulder with one hand. “It’ll be fine.”

“You wouldn’t say that if you’d ever met any of the McKays.”

“I’ve met you.”

Rodney grinned in spite of himself. “I’m not sure that really helps your case.”

“We have a three hour flight,” John said as they found their seats. “You can fill me in on the way.”

Rodney was pretty sure three hours was nowhere near long enough.

*o*o*o*

Despite his reluctance towards air travel and his general nervousness about the situation he currently found himself in, Rodney slept through most of the flight; it was his default setting as soon as the plane took off. And there wasn’t much time after they landed at Vancouver International, not with the rental car to procure and Zelenka to check in with and shout at.

All the while Rodney could feel John’s eyes on him, which was disconcerting to say the least.

“Do you want me to drive?” John asked once they’d stowed their suitcases in the trunk of the sedan.

“Why? Is that part of the service?”

“It was just a question. You seem a little distracted.”

“I’m perfectly capable of driving.” Rodney slid behind the wheel and nearly disemboweled himself because the seat was set so far forward. He took his time adjusting it, and the mirrors, and toying with the tilt to the wheel. He was absolutely not stalling.

“You’re stalling,” John said. He turned in his seat. “We don’t have to go right to the hotel.”

Rodney took a deep breath, grateful for the support even if he was unwilling to admit that he needed it. “I’ll never hear the end of it if we’re any later.”

The Fairmont Pacific Rim was just the kind of place where Evelyn McKay would host a cocktail party: it was fancy, expensive, and had a great view of the harbor. As if Rodney didn’t already know that his mother was using the wedding as a platform to display the family’s social status.

“Swanky,” John remarked as they followed the signs through the lobby and into the Emerald Ballroom. “Is the whole weekend going to be like this?”

“Undoubtedly.” Rodney looked at the sea of faces, both known and unknown, and his steps faltered. “Um. I don’t think I can do this.”

“Sure you can.” 

Rodney wished he had John’s confidence. “No, seriously. This was a bad idea. Nothing good could possibly come from me being here.”

John put his hands on Rodney’s shoulders and held his gaze. “The secret to looking confident is to maintain eye contact. Keep your head up, be direct. If you act confident, you’ll _feel_ confident.”

At the moment Rodney was feeling enthralled. John’s eyes were like mini galaxies, hazel green and speckled through with bit of brown and gold. It wasn’t fair for one man to be so pretty. 

“Meredith!” The high-pitched voice, and use of his given name, had Rodney wincing. “Oh, it’s lovely to see you!”

“Aunt Bea.” He submitted to the hug, dodged the kiss, and unapologetically pushed her in John’s direction. “This is John Sheppard. He’s my, uh, my…”

“I’m Rodney’s boyfriend,” John interjected smoothly. He turned a bright, shiny smile on Aunt Bea and took her hand in both of his. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Well, aren’t you the charming young thing!” Aunt Bea tugged John closer and left a bright red lip print on his cheek. Rodney bit back a laugh and pulled his ‘boyfriend’ away.

“Nice to see you again,” he said over his shoulder. Before they moved much farther into the ballroom Rodney used his sleeve to rub the lipstick from John’s face. “Maybe you should be a little less suave. No-one’s going to believe we’re together if you’re that smooth all the time.”

John raised an eyebrow. “You want me to slurp my champagne?”

“No, just –”

“Meredith, late as always.”

And here came Mother, wearing a shimmery silk pantsuit in a particularly searing shade of green and holding a mimosa in one hand. By the flush on her cheeks she’d already had her fair share of champagne, which was never a good sign.

“Mother.”

She smacked a kiss in the air next to his ear, and then patted his cheek with a disapproving look. “You haven’t been getting enough sun. You look like the underside of a fish.”

“Thanks for that lovely image.” At least she hadn’t said anything about him having put weight on, though he knew it was just a matter of time.

“Now this boy spends some time outdoors.” Evelyn held her hand out to John. “Evelyn McKay.”

“John Sheppard. It’s nice to finally meet you.” Rodney gaped as John kissed his mother’s hand, like some kind of debonair throwback from the fifties. She had the nerve to giggle.

“I’d say the same, if I had any idea who you are. My son has deplorable manners.”

Rodney snagged a glass of champagne off the next tray that went by and downed it in one go. What the hell had he been thinking, coming back here? He was never going to survive the weekend. 

He gave a start of surprise when John slid an arm around his waist and pulled him close.

“Our relationship is still pretty new, so we’ve been playing it close to the vest. I don’t like to share.” John pressed a quick kiss to the side of Rodney’s head. “You know how it is.”

Rodney felt himself flushing at the implication. He wished he’d paid closer attention to the fine print when he’d signed that contract with John. He’d had some sort of vague notion that a paid escort meant having a handsome man on his arm to show his family – and Jennifer – that he was doing well personally as well as professionally. Which was all well and good, but Rodney hadn’t given any thought to the details. Or all the touching and kissing. This was what happened when he acted spontaneously, and why he was never doing it again.

“Isn’t that interesting?” Evelyn gave them both an appraising look. “Where is…Donnie! Come meet Meredith’s boyfriend!”

Rodney winced as his mother’s voice cut through the crowd and drew just about everyone’s attention. Wonderful. It also drew his father over, which certainly wasn’t an improvement.

“We need to talk about this ‘Meredith’ thing,” John whispered in his ear.

“Later,” Rodney hissed in return. “And where the hell are the canapés?”

“Son.”

“Dad.”

Donald McKay was as dour as ever, nursing a long-necked beer that had to be irritating the hell out of his wife. Evelyn didn’t think much of so-called plebian beverages.

“Donnie, look who your son brought home. This is John. They’re dating.”

“That so?” Donald tipped his bottle at Rodney, which was his way of offering congratulations.

For the first time John seemed unsure how to respond and looked to Rodney for some guidance. Time to step up.

“My dad is a retired accountant. He worked for the city council for thirty-five years.”

“How are you enjoying retirement?” John asked politely.

“My wife is home all day. How do you think I’m enjoying it?” Donald finished off his beer and plunked the empty bottle on the first tray that got carried past. “Boys.”

“Dear old dad,” Rodney said with a sigh, watching his father head towards the bar. “So encouraging.”

“Thank God for this wedding,” Evelyn said with a sniff. “It’s taken time away from watching him sit around and mope. The man needs a hobby.”

“Good luck with that.” Rodney couldn’t see his father doing anything normal fathers did, like woodworking or fishing. He wasn’t sure he’d ever even seen the man smile, much less get excited about anything.

“Uncle Harvey is harassing the caterer again.” Evelyn drained her champagne glass and handed it to Rodney. “If you’ll excuse me.”

Rodney waited till she was out of earshot. 

“I’ll understand if you want to back out.” In retrospect, it seemed wrong to drag John into his dysfunctional family dynamics. The poor man would be little more than a hostage for the whole weekend, and surely that was cruel and unusual punishment. But when Rodney looked over at him, the other man just looked sympathetic.

“Your family doesn’t hold the patent on crazy, Rodney.”

“This is barely the tip of the iceberg, believe me.” He was suddenly aware that he still had John’s arm wrapped around him, and he took a shuffling step to the side. John gave him a look.

“So. Meredith?”

“It’s a family name,” Rodney said defensively. He’d started going by his middle name shortly after the first time someone had made fun of him for having a girl’s name. Not that most of his family members ever cared about making him feel more at ease, particularly his mother.

“He’s named for me,” a voice said behind them. Rodney’s mouth immediately curled into a smile. “Meredith Sterling McKay. In their defense, they thought I was dying at the time.”

“Gram!” Rodney turned and was immediately enveloped in a hug. His grandmother never seemed to age, though in his two year absence she’d gotten a bit too thin. Unlike Evelyn, she was dressed very demurely in a simple champagne-colored dress draped with one of the filmy scarves she always wore, this one bluish-silver.

“You ungrateful child, abandoning me to this batch of nutjobs!” Gram held him at arm’s length. “You’re not eating right. Now. Let me get a good look at your young man.”

She kept one hand on Rodney’s arm and took hold of John’s hand with the other. John submitted to her scrutiny with a bemused expression.

“Well, you’re too pretty by far. You’re not conceited about it, are you?”

“No, ma’am.”

“Hmm. Well, Rodney wouldn’t put up with that in any case, would you dear? Do you have a brain in there or are you just a boy toy? Because my grandson is a genius and he won’t have time for you if you can’t keep up with him.”

“Gram!” Rodney blushed and shrugged an apology at John.

“I have a Master’s degree in Applied Mathematics, and another in Aeronautical Engineering,” John said, smooth as silk. “And I passed the Mensa test.”

Rodney had to bite back all his questions, since he would supposedly have known about his boyfriend’s educational credentials already. He wondered how much – if any – of that was true. Someone with John’s looks and above-average intelligence? Rodney wished they weren’t just pretending for the weekend; John might just be the perfect man.

“You passed the test. But you didn’t join?”

As usual, Gram narrowed in on the finer points that Rodney missed. “Why wouldn’t you join Mensa?” he couldn’t help asking.

“I didn’t feel the need,” John replied. Even Rodney could see there was a story there, one that John didn’t want to share. Which meant the Mensa thing at least was true. So the question now was what was a smart guy like him doing working as a date-for-hire?

“This one has some depth,” Gram said approvingly. “John, is it? Be a dear and get an old lady a drink.”

“Of course. What would you like?”

“A Manhattan for me. And I’m sure you know what Rodney likes, so bring him something as well. It’s open bar.”

Rodney tried to mouth ‘Jack and Coke’ to John, but he wasn’t sure if it got through. Gram tucked her arm through his and gave him a little squeeze.

“He’s just as nice going,” she said, very clearly ogling John’s backside. Which, yes, was quite satisfactory but not something he wanted his grandmother looking at.

“How’s Jeannie taking all this?” he asked.

“About as well as you’d expect. She never learned to say no to your mother, not like you did.” There was an accusation in there and Rodney heard it loud and clear. 

“I’m sorry, Gram. After everything that happened, it was too humiliating. I’m always going to be that guy Jennifer left at the altar.”

“I really don’t know what your sister is thinking, having that girl in her wedding.” Gram pursed her lips in disapproval.

Rodney knew exactly what Jeannie was thinking. Having Jennifer as a bridesmaid was a way to punish him – for being strong enough to leave, for disapproving of her English teacher fiancé, for expecting more from her than she expected from herself. It was petty and childish, but in Rodney’s experience siblings never really grew out of their early relationships with each other.

“Oh, good Christ. Who gave your mother a microphone?”

Evelyn stood on the little dais at the end of the room, grinning benevolently out at the crowd with a fresh mimosa in one hand and a microphone in the other.

“Welcome, friends and family! Donald and I are so pleased that you could join us for such a wonderful occasion, particularly after the last wedding we hosted didn’t turn out so well.”

“She didn’t,” Rodney moaned.

“Oh, yes she did,” Gram said. 

“Now that Meredith is swinging the other way, Jeannie is our last hope for grandchildren. No pressure, darling.” There was a smattering of laughter at that. “To Jeannie and Kaleb. This time let’s get to the reception!”

Everyone called cheers and raised their glasses. John returned just in time, a glass in each hand.

“That was heartwarming.”

“Evelyn was never much for public speaking,” Gram said with a dismissive hand-wave. She sipped delicately at her cocktail. “I wouldn’t listen to anything that comes out of her mouth, dear, especially this weekend.”

Rodney looked longingly at the exit and wondered if it was too early to head over to Gram’s place and get settled in. Which is how he missed the blur of red hair and black dress that zipped across the room and jumped on his back. 

“Roddy! You dirty dog!” Laura bit his ear, hard. “Did you bring me a present? Please tell me it’s the hot guy in the turtleneck. You owe me.”

Rodney staggered under her weight. “What the hell have you been eating? Bricks?”

“Rude.” Laura slipped off his back and stuck her hand out to John. “Aren’t you pretty? I’m Roddy’s former best friend, abandoned in my prime. Laura Cadman. Woefully single, if that helps.”

“John Sheppard. I’m Rodney’s boyfriend. Happily attached.”

“Happily,” Rodney echoed.

“Well, shit. It’s nice to meet you anyway.”

Rodney rolled his eyes. “You haven’t changed at all, I see.”

“Are you kidding me? I’m finally starting to come out of my shell!”

Gram sighed. “Young lady, your manners are just as bad as they were when you were five. If I didn’t know your mother I’d pity her.”

“You say the sweetest things, Gram.” Laura gave her a wet kiss on the cheek. “You sticking around for the whole shebang, Roddy? I might have to change some of my plans.”

“Unless I’m lucky enough to self-combust, I guess I’m here for the weekend.” Rodney gave a little start of surprise when John put an arm around his shoulders.

“It won’t be so bad, buddy. You have me, right?”

“Oh. Uh, right.” Rodney tried to act natural.

“You’re making me nauseous,” Laura said. She pretended to gag. “Have you seen Jeannie yet? I want to be ringside for that little reunion.”

“Don’t be unseemly.” Gram took Laura’s hand. “Come along. Let’s find Carson and see if we can make him blush.”

“As if that’s a challenge.” Laura grinned at Rodney. “I’ll catch up with you later. And then I want to hear all about John.”

Yeah. Like that was gonna happen. Rodney wished he and John’d had time to meet before the trip, establish some background for their fake relationship. Maybe tonight, once they were at Gram’s and had a chance to be alone. Although that wasn’t an entirely comfortable thought, either. Alone. With John Sheppard. Just how much of a date did he get for his money, anyway? That would probably be good to know.

“Come on, Rodney. I see those canapés you wanted.” John’s hand slid down Rodney’s shoulder and came to rest at the small of his back. Rodney wasn’t used to being led around, but in this instance he found he didn’t mind it.

A few crustini and chicken satays (minus the lime-infested peanut sauce) later, Rodney was feeling fortified. He’d survived his first interaction with his mother, and people seemed to believe that John was his boyfriend. There were only two major hurdles left – Jeannie and Jennifer.

“You have a very interesting family,” John said. He popped a prawn in his mouth. “Are they always like this, or just on special occasions?”

“Just another day for the McKays. Seriously, if this is too much for you I totally understand. I should’ve been more forthcoming at the beginning, I know, but –”

“Rodney. It’s fine. Honestly. This is what I do.”

It was a smooth-sounding line, but Rodney was looking closely enough to see the tightness around John’s eyes, and the comforting smile that never moved past his mouth.

“So what’s our itinerary for the weekend?” John changed the subject and handed Rodney more food.

“Tomorrow is Hens and Stags, and Saturday morning is the Trousseau Tea. The actual wedding is Saturday evening, so everyone should be more or less sobered up by then.” Although with this family that was being optimistic. “Sunday we’ll be winging our way back to the States.”

“Hens and Stags?”

“It’s a whole day thing. The guys play golf and the women do a spa thing. There’s the rehearsal dinner and then everyone parts ways again for some binge drinking.” Rodney was tired just thinking about it. 

“I wish I’d known that ahead of time. I would have brought my clubs.”

“You golf? No, of course you do. You look exactly like the kind of guy that golfs.”

John did the one eyebrow arch again, which had no right looking as sexy as it did. “I didn’t realize golfers were a type.”

“It’s just…well, you have a very athletic build.” Rodney flushed, but John just grinned.

“You need to loosen up, buddy, or you’re not going to last the weekend.”

“I just need more lubrication. You want anything from the bar?”

“I’m good. Thanks.”

Rodney skirted the crowd as he made his way to the bar. He probably shouldn’t actively try to get drunk – he needed to be in control of his faculties this weekend more than any other – but he definitely needed to get away from John for just a few minutes. Rodney was in over his head. John was too... _everything_. Good-looking, smooth, smart. And yet despite his frequent touches, there was something about him that was distant, untouchable.

“Jack and Coke,” Rodney said to the bartender. “Not too much Coke.”

“Drumming up a little liquid courage, Mer?”

Rodney drained half the glass in one go and then pasted a smile on his face before he turned around. John had told him to act confident so that’s what he’d do.

“Jeannie. Nice to see you. And, uh, you know. Congrats.”

His sister was dressed in a simple floral sundress, which made her look even younger than she was. She had a bright smile on her face, but her blue eyes were snapping fire; Rodney had borne the brunt of that expression many times in the past.

“I didn’t think you’d come.” She grabbed the glass from his hand and drained the rest of the contents. “Too much Coke. So, your new boyfriend is quite the looker.”

“You don’t have to sound so surprised.”

“I’m not surprised.” Jeannie handed the empty glass to the bartender and indicted with a hand wave that she wanted a refill. “You seem to have some inexplicable _thing_ that draws pretty people to you. It’s like a superpower.”

Well, that certainly wasn’t flattering. Rodney was having a hard time holding on to his confident smile. He grabbed the refilled glass before Jeannie could and made sure to keep it out of her reach.

“Not all of us can snag English teachers,” he replied pleasantly.

Jeannie’s own smile faltered, and then her expression turned positively predatory. “Jennifer, have you had a chance to catch up with Mer?”

Rodney fumbled his drink, spilling a bit over the side. His ex-fiancée was looking ridiculously beautiful in a silky blue cocktail dress that revealed far too much of her creamy white skin.

“It’s nice to see you,” she said politely. “You’re looking well.”

“Yeah. Um, you too. You know. You’re good.” Rodney took a hasty swallow of his drink, and gave himself credit for not flinching this time when John came up behind him and wrapped his arms around Rodney’s waist.

“Hey, babe. I thought you got lost.”

There was no reason that John’s mere presence should’ve filled Rodney with relief, but it did. He let himself lean back a little into the embrace and this time his smile was much more natural. "Just chatting with the bride-to-be.”

“You must be Jeannie.” John very noticeably didn’t hold his hand out for her to shake. “Congrats on your upcoming nuptials.”

To Rodney’s extreme pleasure Jeannie looked flustered. Unfortunately, she recovered quickly.

“This is Jennifer, Mer’s ex-fiancée.”

“Ah,” John said, sounding pleased. He propped his chin on Rodney’s shoulder. “Then I owe you a huge debt of gratitude.”

Jennifer looked confused. “For what?”

“For not hanging on to Rodney, and giving me a chance with him. Best thing that ever happened to me.” 

Rodney flushed, pleased, even though he knew none of it was real. Jennifer had never said such a nice thing about him in the two years that they’d been a couple. She’d always seen him as a project, something to be improved upon instead of just appreciated for what he was.

“Oh, well. You know,” he said. “Me too.”

“Just as articulate as ever,” Jennifer replied with a rather unpleasant grin.

“We don’t need a lot of words.” 

That was the only warning John gave before he turned Rodney, cupped his face, and kissed him full on the mouth. It wasn’t like the pecks he’d been giving, either, but a full-on, wet tongue, tickle his tonsils kind of kiss. Rodney immediately forgot Jennifer, the room full of family members, and the fact that he was paying John. He lost himself in that kiss, in the feel of John’s hands on his face. His own hands were clutching tightly to John’s knobby hipbones, holding on for dear life.

When John pulled back it took Rodney a long moment to hear the cheering and glass clinking over the furious pounding of his own heart. He licked his lips and turned back to face Jeannie and Jennifer.

“John’s fluent in the international language,” Rodney said flippantly. That surprised a laugh out of John, who slung his arm around Rodney’s neck.

“You’re not so bad yourself, you know.”

“Hoo, baby!” Laura was back, neatly insinuating herself between Rodney and Jennifer. “I’m surprised one of you didn’t spontaneously burst into flames. I know I almost did!”

“That was unnecessary,” Jeannie griped.

“I know you’ve never seen it, but that’s what passion looks like,” Laura corrected. She shot a disapproving glance at Jennifer. “I’m glad Roddy finally found someone to inspire all that heat.”

“I think I like you,” John said.

“Ooh, smart man!” Laura wedged herself between them and linked arms. “Let’s go see what the fun people are up to. Later, bitches!”

Rodney had to bite his lip to keep from laughing. Jeannie would find some way to punish him for that later, but at the moment all he could feel was victorious. John was clearly worth every penny.

*o*o*o*

Gram lived in a sprawling Queen Anne with a wide wrap-around porch and meticulously landscaped grounds. The Sterlings had been lumber barons once upon a time, and they had shared the wealth; there was a hospital wing named after them, as well as several buildings and an observatory at UBC.

It was too much house for a woman Gram’s age, but she refused to sell it. The Historical Society wanted it in the worst way, and each year they tried to get Gram to permit the inclusion of her house on the annual tour of historic homes, to no avail. Mother had her eye on it as well, forever resentful that Gram had insisted her son and his family get their own place.

“Nice,” John said as they headed up the main staircase to the second floor. “You grew up here?”

“Summers, mostly, or whenever I had a falling out with my parents.” Rodney had always been incredibly grateful to have Gram, who understood him in a way no one else in the family ever had. “Some of my happiest memories happened in this house.”

“You’re lucky,” John murmured. Rodney shot him a look, but he had that distant expression on his face again.

“We’re in this one,” he said when they got to the third door in the hall. “Are you sure you don’t mind sharing? Gram can be annoyingly forward-thinking about some things.”

“It’s fine. Don’t worry.”

Gram hadn’t changed a thing in Rodney’s room, which left him feeling embarrassed when John dumped his bags and wandered around looking at everything. Thank goodness Gram got rid of the Batman sheets.

“You’re a pretty smart guy.” John stood in front of the trophy case, full of academic awards and medals.

“I’m a genius, actually.”

John leaned in closer, reading a newspaper article Gram had framed. “You built a bomb in sixth grade?” He sounded impressed.

“Won the science fair,” Rodney said. The pride of that accomplishment hadn’t waned at all over the years. “I guess I was lucky I didn’t know how to get my hands on plutonium back then.”

John turned to look at him. “And you do now?”

“That’s classified.” Rodney sat down on the queen-sized bed. It was weird having John in his room, grinning at his Einstein poster and running a hand along the spines of his Star Trek VHS tapes. “So, uh…how did you get into this line of work anyway? I mean, you sound smart enough to hold down a real job.”

That got him a raised eyebrow. John leaned back against the wall, loose-limbed and sexy as hell. “Oh, you know. I was born in a whorehouse. My mother used to wash her lacy underthings in my bathwater.”

Rodney stared at him, mortified, but then John laughed an unbelievable braying laugh that was completely at odds with his suave persona.

“Just kidding. The job sorta happened. It’s not something I set out to do.” He tossed his suitcase on the bed and unzipped it. “You mind if I take a shower?”

Rodney waved a hand in the direction of the connected bathroom. “Go ahead.”

John pulled out a black leather toiletry bag, a pair of black boxer briefs, and nothing else. He went into the bathroom but didn’t close the door. When he pulled his turtleneck over his head, revealing the fine muscles in his long, lean expanse of back, Rodney blushed and pointedly turned away. 

The shower turned on and _John was naked in Rodney’s bathroom_. Rodney jumped up and started frantically unpacking his things, just to give himself something to do. He thought about unpacking John’s suitcase as well but that felt intrusive. Instead he hung John’s garment bag in the closet, beside the tuxedo Gram had purchased for Rodney for the wedding.

With nothing else to do he dropped back down on the bed. He and John needed to craft a backstory, one that was easy to remember when the inevitable questions popped up. Everyone was pretty distracted with wedding plans, but Rodney didn’t doubt for a minute that an interrogation was forthcoming. His mother couldn’t stand not knowing things. She was an infernal busybody. 

The shower turned off and Rodney cast around desperately for something to do so it didn’t look like he was waiting for John. The only magazines readily at hand were easily five years old, and he wasn’t sure the box of porn was still under the bed; if his grandmother had found it, chances were it had been incinerated. He ended up pulling out his cell phone and starting a game of Tetris.

Half-naked John was even more ridiculously attractive than man-in-black John. The boxer briefs clung to his hips and ass in a drool-worthy fashion, and Rodney really had to struggle to keep his focus on the game. John pulled on a black t-shirt, but seemed content to stretch out on the bed without pants, or shorts. He had hairy legs.

“I’ve given some thought to how we met,” John said. He was propped up on one elbow, watching Rodney. “I was thinking something work-related. A conference, maybe, or a charity dinner.”

Rodney closed out of Tetris and pulled up his calendar. “There was a regional showcase about five months ago that I attended with some of my staff.”

“Perfect.”

Rodney waited for more, but John just rolled onto his back and laced his hands over his stomach. 

“What about the rest?” 

“What rest?”

“The rest of the story!” Rodney said, exasperated. 

John closed his eyes and shrugged. “I like to wing it.”

“Oh, no. No. I can’t wing anything! I’m not good at thinking on my feet, you can’t expect me to just make something up on the fly!”

“You did fine at the party,” John assured him. “Just go with the flow. Keep things simple and vague.”

“This is a disaster.”

John didn’t bother responding, because he’d already fallen asleep.

*o*o*o*

When Rodney woke up the next morning, practically clinging to the edge of the bed, John was nowhere to be found. He shuffled down to the kitchen, following the smell of bacon, wrapped up in his old Batman bathrobe.

Jeannie’s fiancé was at the table eating a bowl full of mixed fruit, and he scrambled to his feet as soon as Rodney entered the room.

“Oh, hey. Good morning.”

Rodney just grunted at him and headed for the coffee pot. It was too early in the day to deal with Kaleb – _with a K_ , he thought derisively – especially since they’d be spending the entire day together.

“Still a ray of sunshine in the morning, I see.” Gram’s long-time cook, friend, and occasional chauffer, Theo, was at the stove. He wore a flowered apron over yoga pants and a long-sleeved shirt. He carried a plate to the table and set it down in Rodney’s usual spot. “Right on time for breakfast.”

“I really want that.” Rodney took his coffee black and didn’t hesitate to take a nice, deep swallow, which helped clear out some of the cobwebs. And only burned his tongue a little. “Anyone seen John?”

Kaleb resumed his seat only when Rodney plunked himself down and started eating. “He went out for a run.”

Of course he did. Athletic bastard.

“You might think of joining him, Meredith,” Evelyn said. She breezed into the room already dressed for the day, a cup of what was surely Irish coffee in one hand. “You could do with some exercise.”

“I’ll take that under advisement,” Rodney muttered. He stuffed another piece of bacon – the crispy American kind Theo knew he liked – in his mouth before tackling the omelet. Theo had a deft hand with eggs.

“Kaleb is quite healthy,” Evelyn said. She stood behind the man in question, one hand on his shoulder. “He’s a vegan, you know.”

Of course he was. Kaleb with a K didn’t have a single redeeming quality as far as Rodney could tell. He was mildly attractive in a nondescript kind of way, and when Rodney had talked to him at the party the night before he’d stumbled and stuttered over his words to such a degree that Rodney could only assume he was a terrible English teacher.

“Unnatural,” Theo commented from the stove. “God created animals for man to eat.”

“Equals,” Kaleb replied. “We’re supposed to be living in harmony with nature.”

“That’s right, dear.” Evelyn drifted into the chair next to his.

Theo snorted. “Please. I’ve seen you tear into a steak like a hungry hyena.”

Rodney choked on his coffee. He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed Theo until just that moment, and he didn’t even try to hide his grin when his mother turned her glare in his direction. 

“It wouldn’t kill you to be a bit more gracious, Meredith,” Evelyn said disapprovingly.

“It might,” he replied.

Rodney’s father came in, grabbed a cup of coffee, took the newspaper off the table, and left again without saying a word to anyone.

Theo set another full plate on the table just as Jeannie came in. She gave Kaleb a loud, smacking kiss, and fixed herself some coffee before she sat down to eat.

“Where’s Gram?” Jeannie asked, pointedly ignoring Rodney.

“She went running with John,” Theo said. 

Everyone in the kitchen stared at him, and for a long moment there was complete silence. It didn’t last long.

“Is she out of her mind?”

“Why does that woman never act her age?”

“Wow, John’s really sucking up.”

Rodney glared at his sister. “He is _not_ sucking up.”

“Gold digger,” Jeannie stage-whispered to Kaleb.

“Oh, right. Because the only way I could get someone like John is with the family money.” Rodney pushed his plate away. Jeannie always knew right where to twist the knife. The worst part was that it was technically true, since Rodney was paying John to be his boyfriend.

“No-one thinks your boyfriend is a gold digger,” Evelyn said dismissively. “Stop being so dramatic, Meredith.”

“Stop taking her side,” Rodney countered. “She’s spoiled enough as it is.”

Jeannie glowered at him from across the table. “Sour grapes, Mer. You’re just jealous that _my_ wedding won’t go down in flames.”

“Young lady,” Theo said, waving his spatula. “You’re not too big to put over my knee.”

Kaleb looked alarmed, but Jeannie just rolled her eyes.

John and Gram chose that opportune moment to come through the back door, all laughter and smiles. Gram was resplendent in a bright pink jogging suit, complete with headband, and she was holding hands with Rodney’s boyfriend-for-hire.

“Well, the gang’s all here,” Gram said. “Johnny, you might just want to keep on running.”

“Good morning,” John said to the room at large. He abandoned Gram to press a kiss to the top of Rodney’s head. “Hey.”

Rodney flushed. He knew he should’ve been expecting the easy affection, which John had showered on him the night before, but it was still weird.

“John and I met at a regional showcase five months ago!” he blurted out.

“Are you and Meredith in the same line of work?” Evelyn asked. She held her coffee cup out and waited for Theo to refill it.

Rodney cursed himself. He was able to stare Generals in the eye and get his way when it came to government contracts, but he completely failed at standing up to his own family or exerting even a shred of the confidence he exhibited on a daily basis with his staff. Yet another reason he’d stayed away from home so long. And now John would have to think up some kind of lie on the spot, because of course they’d never talked about the exact nature of Rodney’s work and the whole charade was about to come tumbling down.

John plucked the last piece of bacon off Rodney’s plate. “Not exactly. My company does a lot of out-sourcing and contracting with labs like Rodney’s. That’s how we stay competitive in an international market.”

As soon as Theo finished filling Evelyn’s cup, Gram snagged it for herself. “Sheppard International was the cover story in an issue of Forbes last year. Surely you remember that, Evelyn dear, the way you keep current with that sort of thing.”

Rodney did his best not to gape like a gasping fish. John was one of the Sheppards who ran Sheppard International? They were one of Rodney’s biggest clients. He didn’t think about the implications of that, or wonder why the heir to a billion-dollar company was hiring himself out as an escort. Only one thing really mattered at that moment.

“Not a gold digger,” he told Jeannie with a sneer.

“Only thing I dig is you,” John agreed. “I’m hitting the shower.”

Rodney watched him go, admiring the way the spandex shorts highlighted his gluteal attributes. Theo dropped more bacon on Rodney’s plate.

“That one’s a keeper,” he said with a chuckle.

Rodney was starting to wish that was true.

*o*o*o*

If there was a sport more mind-numbingly boring than golf, Rodney didn’t know what it was. Standing around in the sun, waiting for his chance to whack a tiny white ball, seemed like a colossal waste of time. Hockey was a far superior sport, in his estimation.

Rodney’s father had the right idea. He was camped out in one of the golf carts, working his way through a cooler full of Moosehead and doing crosswords out of a little book. The most he’d deigned to do was wear the proper attire so he wouldn’t get thrown out of the club.

The only good thing was watching John. He was really talented, if such a thing could be said about such a stupid sport, and the flexibility he displayed with every swing had Rodney thinking highly inappropriate thoughts. Even better, when Rodney struggled with a particular shot, John would get behind him and help him position himself for optimum power in his swing. Rodney decided he could really get used to all the touching.

“You’re doing great, buddy,” John said.

“What are you talking about? That was, like, eleven over par.”

“But your form has really improved.” John waggled his eyebrows and Rodney blushed.

They hadn’t had much time to talk between breakfast and leaving for the club. John had shrugged, said that yes he had shares in Sheppard International but it was really his brother’s company, and then promptly changed the subject. There certainly wasn’t an opportunity for any private conversation on the greens, since they were surrounded by groomsmen and caddies and Kaleb’s father, who seemed to know every golfing joke ever made.

“All day long it was hit the ball, drag Charlie!” Kris – again with the K – guffawed at his own punchline.

Rodney was developing a greater appreciation for Kaleb by the minute, who was the polar opposite of Miller Senior. Kris was loud and obnoxious and had a penchant for stinky cigars, and Rodney sincerely hoped he wouldn’t be forced to spend holidays with the man.

Kaleb beat John by a very narrow margin, which Rodney was sure John had engineered, and then they all retreated to the clubhouse restaurant for lunch. Kris regaled them all with tales about his wholesale furniture business and boasted about providing Kaleb and Jeannie with a brand new bedroom set once they were married.

“Do they even have a house?” Rodney asked. He really was out of touch. He assumed Jeannie was staying at Gram’s for the duration of the wedding weekend, in her old room, but as far as he knew she wasn’t living there on a regular basis.

“We have an apartment just off campus,” Kaleb said.

Kris clapped Rodney’s father on the back, prompting a grimace and a sigh. “Donnie here could set them up in a nice house, though.”

“Dad, I told you Jeannie and I don’t want that.”

“Aw, come on. You’re family, you should get to enjoy some of that family money.”

To Kaleb’s credit he didn’t back down, even though he was clearly embarrassed. “We want to make our own way.”

“Good idea,” John interjected. “Seems like everyone these days has an overblown sense of entitlement, but it’s been my experience that you appreciate things more if you work for them.”

“That’s right,” Donnie said, and Rodney just stared at his father. The first time he’d spoken all morning, and he was agreeing with John?

Rodney added his own two cents. “More to the point, you won’t have my mother directing your every move. Everything she gives away has strings attached.”

Kris didn’t look amused. He leaned forward on the table, his elbow very nearly in his crab cake. “I worked very hard to get where I am today, young man. And I don’t see anything wrong with spreading the wealth around and making sure my son and his wife are well taken care of.”

“There’s nothing wrong with it,” John agreed. “But it sounds like Kaleb and Jeannie have their own plans, and you should respect that.”

He didn’t raise his voice, and he kept his tone nice and even, but Rodney got the feeling that he was angry. Patrick Sheppard, patriarch of the family and CEO of Sheppard International, had been portrayed as a benevolent dictator in the media; Rodney could read between the lines. Was that why John had started hiring himself out as an escort? To get back at his overbearing father? Rodney could certainly relate to that. Hell, he’d moved to a whole different country to get away from his mother.

Before the conversation could devolve any further, one of Kaleb’s friends launched into a story about one of Kaleb’s drunken escapades as a college freshman. John politely excused himself and headed towards the patio. Rodney didn’t even think about it, just tossed his napkin on the table and followed.

There was al fresco dining out there but very few tables, and Rodney caught up with John at the rail that separated the eating area from the manicured lawn. There was a nice view of the ninth hole, but Rodney only had eyes for John.

“Hey. Is everything okay?” Rodney tentatively reached out and put his hand on John’s arm.

John blew out a breath. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have engaged Kris that way.”

“Will you stop that?” Rodney quite suddenly found himself annoyed. He dropped his hand and leaned back on the railing so he could see John’s face.

“Stop what?”

“Stop being all…so… _smooth_! Like nothing bothers you.” He dropped his voice to a whisper. “I wasn’t looking for some kind of perfect, emotionless automaton when I hired you.”

John’s mouth quirked up in a grin. “I’m here to make you look good, Rodney.”

Rodney waved that off with the flap of his hand. “You do that just by standing next to me. I don’t care if you express your actual opinion on things. And Kris was being a dick. How did he raise such a bland son?”

That got an amused snort out of John. “Kaleb isn’t so bad. Your sister definitely wears the pants in that relationship, though.”

“In _every_ relationship,” Rodney replied sourly. Jeannie had always been a powerhouse, even as a toddler who refused to learn the meaning of the word ‘no’. They’d had a closer relationship, though, once upon a time. Rodney wasn’t sure when that had changed, when they’d become adversaries instead of siblings united against a common enemy.

“Well, if it’s any consolation, I like the way you look in your pants.” John leaned forward, pecked a quick kiss to his lips. “We’d better get back in there, if only to save your father.”

It seemed perfectly natural for Rodney to slip his hand into John’s as they walked back to their table. Something told him he was going to have a hard time saying goodbye when the weekend was over.

*o*o*o*

After a second round of golf, there were a couple hours of down time until the rehearsal dinner. John excused himself to the back porch to make some phone calls, and Rodney wondered if he was solidifying plans with future customers; the thought of John being so handsy and nice with someone else agitated Rodney. He didn’t know what to do with himself, so he went to his room and did a little online research

John’s business was called Solitary Man. The website wasn’t very informative. Rodney had been referred to it during a web search and had liked the simple, elegant design and lack of lurid, flashing signage. John wasn’t some high-priced rent boy. He offered what he called ‘companionship services’ for single people of either sex who had public functions they didn’t want to attend alone.

There was no personal information to be had there, so Rodney moved on to Sheppard International. There was a welcome letter from the COO, David Sheppard, and Rodney studied his picture for a long moment, looking for some resemblance to John; it was minimal. There was no mention of John anywhere on the website.

A Google search turned up a professor in Montana, a ceramics designer in New York, and a classical musician. It was too common a name, and none of the deeper searches pairing his name with Sheppard International turned anything up. The man had almost no web presence: no Instagram, no Facebook, no Twitter. Just the Solitary Man site.

Rodney hastily snapped the laptop lid shut when he heard footsteps on the stairs, and just in the nick of time. The bedroom door burst open and Laura took a flying leap onto the bed, almost bouncing Rodney off the other side.

“Are you insane?” He clutched the laptop to his chest. “What are you doing here, hen?”

“I was hoping to catch you with your new stag.” Laura grabbed a couple of pillows and dropped them on the foot of the bed so she could lie down and still see Rodney. “You bagged a real winner with that one, Roddy.”

Rodney rolled his eyes and set the laptop carefully on the nightstand. “And what are you waiting for? Aren’t you tired of stringing Carson along?”

“You know we’re just friends.”

“This week, anyway,” Rodney said.

He’d known Laura practically his whole life, but Carson hadn’t come into the picture until high school. He was a nice enough guy, if a little shy, and he’d been dating Laura off and on for years. Rodney didn’t know why he kept coming back, because as much as he loved Laura, he knew what a crazy person she was.

“Do you have any idea what a pain in the ass it is, trying to date a doctor? He’s on call all the time, he works double shifts. Hell, old ladies in the grocery store stop him to look at their warts and boils.” Laura sighed dramatically. “No-one knows my suffering.”

“Yes, you’re very brave. I’m surprised Vera isn’t begging you to marry him.”

“Oh, please. Mom only works it into every conversation. She keeps signing me up for free wedding literature; my inbox is overloaded with that crap.” Laura flicked Rodney’s ankle. “I want to hear more about John. How’s the sex?”

Rodney blushed, and kicked at Laura. “Shut up. I’m not talking to you about that.”

He could imagine it all too well, though. John flexible and lithe, his legs wrapped around Rodney, spurring him on. 

“No, but you’re thinking about it. I can tell.” Laura giggled. “I wouldn’t kick him out of _my_ bed for eating crackers, that’s for sure.”

“Kick who out of your bed?” John asked. He came in the room and walked around the bed until he was on Rodney’s side. He plunked himself down on the edge.

“Sebastian Stan,” Laura said smoothly. “Don’t you think he’s dreamy?”

“He’s not my type.” John leaned back against Rodney. “I like ‘em brainy.”

“That’s the stupidest thing I ever heard,” Rodney said. But he couldn’t help grinning and sliding his arm around John.

Laura huffed out a laugh. “No, the stupidest thing you ever heard was yourself, singing _Mambo No. 5_ while you danced around in that ugly blue fedora.”

John laughed his crazy, honking laugh, which set Laura off, too. “’I like Angela, Pamela, Sandra and Rita!’”

“’And as I continue, you know they’re getting sweeter!’” Laura sang along.

“I’m surrounded by idiots,” Rodney lamented. But he couldn’t stop himself from laughing along with them. It was the happiest he’d felt in a long time.

*o*o*o*

Rodney was a little drunk. Okay, maybe more than a little, if he was being honest with himself. He blamed his mother, who’d been given far too many opportunities to make toasts at the rehearsal dinner. (“To my daughter Jeannie, who has never been a disappointment.”)

In fact, Rodney was so drunk he was even finding Kaleb interesting to talk to.

“See, it’s language that really binds us all together,” Rodney’s future brother-in-law said, gesturing with the hand not wrapped around a beer bottle. “It defines us, tells our history.”

“Math is the language of the universe,” Rodney said. He’d only ordered one Jack and Coke, but it never seemed to get more than half empty.

“Exactly!” Kaleb beamed! “It’s all about communication!”

“You make a lot of sense, even with the K.”

“Thanks. You’re not as bad as Jeannie said, either.” Kaleb clapped his hand over his mouth, eyes wide. “Oops.”

“She hates me,” Rodney said sadly. “I left her in Evelyn’s evil clutches and ran off to another country. But I had to go! You can see that, right? Especially after the Jennifer thing?”

“That was brutal,” Kaleb agreed.

Rodney squinted at his new drinking buddy and jabbed at finger in his direction. “You better not do that to my sister. She’s a brat, but no-one deserves that.”

Kaleb looked offended. Or possibly constipated, Rodney didn’t know him well enough to be sure.

“I love Jeannie! I’d do anything for her. _Anything_.”

“You’ll probably have to, you poor bastard.” Rodney reached for his drink, but the glass was gone. “Hey!”

John appeared at his elbow, looking gorgeous in the dark gray suit he’d worn to the rehearsal dinner. And much too sober.

“You look gorgeous.” Rodney hadn’t meant to say that. “Did you take my drink?”

“Thanks, and yes. I’m cutting you off.” John smiled at him, and it really wasn’t fair that he looked so good.

Rodney didn’t know what the protocol was for the touchy-feely part of his contract, but he was feeling too good to care. He tugged John’s tie, pulling him closer, and kissed him. It wasn’t his best work – the alcohol messed up his depth perception – but it was still pretty good.

“Okay, buddy. I think it’s time we took you back to your grandmother’s place.”

“You’re a real gentleman.” Kaleb saluted John with his beer bottle.

“I’m really not,” John replied.

Rodney stumbled a little when John hauled him to his feet, and he looked around the Fox’s Den to see what everyone else was getting up to. Kris was holding complete strangers hostage, probably telling them uncomfortably racist jokes. Several of the groomsmen were having a darts competition with Jennifer’s mountain of a boyfriend, who was also her krav maga instructor and far more masculine than Rodney could ever hope to be. And Rodney’s father was tucked into one of the booths with two of the dancing girls, who were chattering away despite his completely disinterested expression. Girls always liked the strong, silent types.

“You good?” John asked, one arm wrapped around Rodney to keep him steady.

“I’ll make it,” Rodney promised. “You smell good. Aqua Velva?”

“You know, this’ll work better if you pick up your feet.”

“Oh.” Rodney focused on walking, letting John lead him out to the parking lot. “How come you’re not drunk? All the stags should be drunk. It’s tradition.”

“It’s my job to keep a clear head.”

There was a cab waiting. They’d all ridden to the Fox’s Den in a ridiculously large Hummer limo, which had been Kris showing off and trying to match Evelyn for useless extravagance. Rodney much preferred the intimacy of the cab, where he felt fully justified sitting right up next to John.

“He’s not gonna get sick in here, is he?” the cabbie asked.

“I don’t know. Are you?”

“McKays don’t get sick,” Rodney assured the both of them. “Obnoxious and inappropriate, but never sick. Hmm. That might be our family motto.”

John chuckled and slung his arm around Rodney’s shoulders. “Obnoxious and inappropriate I can handle.”

“Do you get that a lot in your line of work?” Rodney couldn’t help asking. “I bet everyone wants to get inappropriate with you. I mean…well, look at you!”

“Not as much as you’d think,” John said.

Rodney doubted that. If John treated his other clients to same kind of hands-on affection, they probably all would’ve dropped to their knees for the pleasure of sucking his cock. Rodney knew he would’ve, if he thought he stood a chance.

“I bet it’s a nice one, too,” he mumbled against John’s shoulder. He fell asleep before John could reply.

It felt like only seconds later that Rodney woke up, but the cab was already parked in front of Gram’s house, and John was trying to get him moving. Rodney did his best to help, which just meant he ended up back in John’s arms as they tried not to fall.

“I’m not carrying you upstairs,” John warned. It sounded like he was teasing but Rodney wasn’t sure.

“I can do it.” He extricated himself from John, heroically held back from getting a quick grope in, and made his way up the porch steps with judicious use of the railing. Rodney knew he was far from graceful at the moment, but he was able to stay on his feet without assistance. Unlocking the door was a bit more problematic, and John had to take the keys from him.

John had nice hands, and Rodney spent some time imagining what those thin, deft fingers could do to several different parts of his anatomy. Was it the Jack Daniels making him so horny, or just John?

“Come on, Rodney. Inside.”

Rodney blinked, surprised to find the front door was open. He went into stealth mode as soon as he stepped into the foyer, an automatic holdover from high school when he’d sneak into the house after late nights at the observatory. He was the master of –

“Good night, boys,” Gram called from somewhere inside the house.

“Night, Gram!” Rodney shouted back.

“Real smooth,” John whispered, grinning.

He helped Rodney up the stairs, and as soon as they were in the bedroom Rodney made a beeline for the bathroom. He pissed for what felt like hours, and then he must’ve zoned out again because somewhere along the line shaking off had turned to stroking off, and he was standing there in front of the toilet, one hand braced against the wall and the other hand holding his cock.

“You fall in?” John asked from the bedroom.

“Ah. No?” Rodney wasn’t sure what he should do. Drunk as he was, there’d be no pulling off a quick one. But John would surely notice his hard-on when he changed for bed. He looked down and willed himself limp. It didn’t work.

“You need some…oh.” John stood in the doorway, face flushed and the most uncertain Rodney had ever seen him look, and Rodney hastily tried to shove his cock back in his pants. It wasn’t very willing.

“Sorry! Sorry, I…uh. Alcohol makes me horny.” Rodney belatedly noticed that John was only wearing his ubiquitous black boxer briefs and a t-shirt. “Shit. You make me horny, too.”

The next thing Rodney knew, he was being devoured. John crowded him back against the shower door, his hands cupping Rodney’s face. Rodney was fully on board with that development and kissed back with everything he had. John’s mouth tasted like whisky – he’d had a least one drink – and his ass was tight under Rodney’s questing hands.

“We shouldn’t do this,” John gasped even as he rubbed himself against Rodney. “I never do this.”

“I won’t tell if you don’t,” Rodney promised. He ran his hands up under the back of John’s t-shirt, scratching lightly with his nails. “Our little secret.”

Rodney’s pants were still undone, so it was easy for John to pull Rodney’s erection back out, his long fingers releasing Rodney’s balls as well. His hand felt so good, just the right amount of pressure, and Rodney thrust into John’s grip.

“Fuck, yeah,” he groaned. How long had it been since someone touched him like that? Not since Jennifer? Good thing he was intoxicated or he’d have come in seconds.

“Bed,” Rodney directed. He didn’t want to get fucked in the bathroom.

They almost made it before Rodney’s pants slid down to his ankles, tripping him up. He pitched against John and they both went sprawling on the floor. John was laughing, but that quickly turned to moans as Rodney kissed him, his hand cupping John’s hard length through his cotton underwear.

Fuck the bed.

Rodney kicked off his pants and John helped him out of his boxers. He was still wearing his dress shirt and tie – he didn’t know when he’d lost the suit jacket – but that didn’t matter because suddenly John squirmed along the carpet and wrapped his mouth around Rodney’s cock. _Nothing_ else mattered but that.

John licked, stroked, sucked, his hot mouth providing exquisite pressure. One hand wandered back, sliding between Rodney’s ass cheeks and pressing against his hole. Rodney made embarrassing noises, rocking up on all fours as he fucked John’s mouth and tried to impale himself on John’s finger.

John popped off his cock with a lewd slurping sound. “Lube?”

Shit. Fuck. Rodney hadn’t thought he’d need to bring any supplies. “No,” he grumbled.

He wasn’t going to dwell on it, though, not with John lying there under him, lips red and swollen, looking utterly debauched. Rodney pulled John’s t-shirt up over his head and ran his hands down John’s lean torso.

“Gorgeous,” he said. But he wanted to see all of it, so the boxer briefs had to go. Watching John shimmy out of them made Rodney’s cock twitch.

John really was unfairly beautiful, with all that dark hair and toned skin. His cock was flushed and leaking, and Rodney wanted to taste it. He flipped his position, jabbing John in the side with is knee, until he was face to face with John’s groin.

Rodney didn’t often sixty-nine with men – it was easier with women – but the second he felt John’s lips on his balls he stopped caring about any awkwardness. He lavished John’s cock with attention and demonstrated his lack of a gag reflex. John made a wanton, whining noise when Rodney swallowed around him.

John’s panting breaths were hot against Rodney’s hole, John’s hands spreading his ass cheeks wide. There was one quick swipe of John’s tongue there, which had Rodney’s hips stuttering, and then a spit-slick finger breached him.

Rodney clenched around it, drawing it farther in, and added just a hint of teeth to the suction on John’s cock.

“Fuck.”

Rodney wished there could be fucking. He vowed never to leave home without lube again.

They found a rhythm together, John rocking up into Rodney’s mouth, and Rodney pressing down onto that finger while John’s other hand stroked Rodney’s cock. It wasn’t long before Rodney could feel his orgasm building, a ball of electricity at the base of his spine.

John got there first, pushing Rodney off and cupping himself, capturing his own come in his hand. Rodney couldn’t twist enough to see what John looked like in that moment, a definite downside to the sixty-nine. Instead of going boneless, as Rodney expected, John used his come to lube up his fingers, one becoming two as he pushed inside Rodney.

“God, yes. Oh. Right there!” Rodney babbled. When John’s fingers bumped against Rodney’s prostate he was done. The orgasm tore through him like a runaway train, leaving him shaking and breathless. John’s abdomen and thighs were spattered with Rodney’s completion, which was so fucking hot Rodney wished he was a teenager again, with a super-fast refractory period.

Unfortunately he was a thirty-five-year-old man who’d had too much to drink, and the last thing he remembered was laying his head on John’s sticky thigh and falling asleep.

*o*o*o*

“What do you mean, he’s gone?”

Rodney wasn’t having a good morning. He’d woken up on his bedroom floor, stiff and bare-assed, but covered in the comforter off the bed. There was a headache thumping loudly at the inside of his skull, and it only got worse when he couldn’t find John – or any of his things – anywhere.

“Meredith, this is not the time,” Evelyn said. She sat demurely in one of the antique embroidered chairs in the parlor, tea cup in her hand. The room was filled with the wedding gifts that Jeannie and Kaleb had received, as well as female neighbors and acquaintances who wouldn’t be attending the wedding.

It was the Trousseau Tea, traditionally a way to share the wedding festivities with friends who couldn’t be invited. Rodney knew that, for his mother, it was just another way to show off. And right now he didn’t give a rat’s ass about any of it.

“He got in a cab first thing this morning,” Jeannie said. She looked entirely too smug.

“What did you say to him?”

Jeannie leapt to her feet, and they were glowering at each other over the sterling silver tea service. “I didn’t say anything, jerk. Maybe you just have bad wedding karma.”

“What the hell is your problem?” Rodney snapped.

“Meredith,” Evelyn started to say, but one of the other ladies shushed her.

“What’s wrong with _me_?” Jeannie’s hands balled up into fists. “You left, you asshole. And you know what? I was happy! Finally out from under Meredith the Almighty’s shadow! But you know what? Turns out I liked it better in the shade.”

Rodney just stared at her. “Are you insane? What are you talking about?”

“I thought maybe Mother could finally see me and appreciate me just for me. But you know what? She doesn’t. She doesn’t, and I hate you for leaving and making me see that.” Tears started rolling down Jeannie’s cheeks and Rodney felt his own eyes burn in response. “All those years you were such a good big brother, hiding it from me, and then you left me just flailing here on my own. That was a shitty thing to do, Mer.”

“Jeannie! Meredith! That’s enough!” Evelyn was on her feet, her face red with embarrassment. “Never has a woman had such ungrateful children! I have done nothing but –”

“Evelyn. Sit down.”

Rodney and Jeannie both turned to stare at their father, who was standing in the doorway. Gram, Theo and Laura were crowded in next to him, and they all had identical looks of surprise on their face.

“Donnie?” Evelyn sounded as dumbfounded as everyone looked.

“This isn’t about you. Let the kids hash it out.”

Had Rodney somehow slipped into an alternate universe? He couldn’t remember the last time his father had taken that tone with his mother. It must’ve thrown her for a loop, too, because she sat down and pressed her lips together in an angry line. Theo and Laura applauded.

“I really don’t have time for this,” Rodney said. He could almost feel John slipping further and further away. And he didn’t know what to do about it.

“You never have time for me.” Jeannie sounded exactly like her nine year old self, pouting because Rodney was going off with Laura to blow up some model airplanes they’d made. “You didn’t have to leave.”

“I couldn’t stay, and you know it! You were there. _Everyone_ was there.” He didn’t think he’d ever get over the humiliation of Jennifer changing her mind about him, and not until there was a church full of people waiting to see them get married. Her timing had sucked. And of course his mother had blamed him, certain he’d done something terrible to make Jennifer break it off with him. All he’d done was be himself.

“So what if they were? Look how good you’re doing now! Your work is getting recognized, you have a hot boyfriend, and you don’t have Mother breathing down your neck twenty-four hours a day.” Jeannie crossed her arms, which only made her look vulnerable instead of defiant. “Kaleb and I didn’t want any of this. We didn’t want to be your do-over.”

Maybe Jeannie was right. Maybe Rodney had been wrong to leave the way he did, removing himself as the buffer between her and their mother. He didn’t regret the move, but sneaking away like a thief in the night had clearly been the wrong call. He owed Jeannie for that.

“John isn’t my boyfriend,” he admitted with a sigh. “I paid him to come with me and pretend he was.”

“Meredith!” Evelyn gasped, scandalized. The other women merely leaned in so as not to miss a detail. Rodney was certain no Trousseau Tea would be more talked about in the history of the city.

“What? Why?” Jeannie asked.

“Why? Why do you think?” Rodney spread his arms wide. “You think I could come back here alone? Admit that I’m a failure at personal relationships? I couldn’t face another wedding alone.”

The truth was, no-one cared as much about Rodney’s successful business life as they did his personal life. If he hadn’t brought John, there’d have been fix-ups and old ladies patting him on the arm and wondering why he couldn’t find a suitable someone to settle down with.

“Oh, Mer.” Jeannie didn’t go around the coffee table as much as she stepped on and over it, sending a plate of almond cookies sliding off to the floor. She hugged Rodney, and after a minute he hugged her back, his eyes burning again with unshed tears.

“I love you so much,” Jeannie said. “But you’re an idiot.”

“Hey!” Rodney extricated himself from his sister’s hug. 

“I mean it. You may have paid John to be here, but I saw the way he looked at you. He wasn’t just doing a job.”

Rodney really wanted to believe that was true. But then why did John just up and leave without saying goodbye? Rodney didn’t remember much about the night before; he hadn’t meant to drink so much. But he remembered kissing, and John’s cock in his mouth. Had he pushed John into something he hadn’t wanted to do?

“Oh, no,” he groaned. Had John had sex with him because Rodney was paying him to? He’d never gotten around to asking John about the fine print, but throwing sex into the contract smacked of prostitution, and that wasn’t John at all. “I think I screwed up.”

“Rodney, darling. Come here.” Gram waved him over, and Jeannie trailed along. Behind them the guests were whispering amongst themselves while Evelyn sat in stoic silence.

“Gram, I’m sorry,” Rodney said. He was used to disappointing his mother, but his grandmother…that was another story. She gave him a big hug.

“Sweetheart, you have nothing to apologize for.” Gram patted him briskly on the back. “Now. I saw Johnny before he left. He said to give this to you.”

She handed Rodney an envelope. If he was hoping for a little privacy, he was out of luck; if anything, everyone crowded closer to him. Everyone but his dad, who had already taken off for parts unknown.

Rodney opened the envelope with some trepidation. His check was inside, the one he’d sent to John when he’d booked his services. Rodney just stared at it.

“See? He likes you,” Jeannie said over his shoulder.

“This is hardly definitive proof of that,” Rodney replied. Why had John returned the money? He’d certainly earned it, putting up with the McKays for as long as he had. Was he that mad about what happened between them?

“Rodney.” Gram took hold of Rodney’s chin with her hand and tipped his head back up. “He didn’t want to leave. I could see it in his eyes.”

Rodney believed her. In that moment, he was ready to believe almost anything.

“We’ll wait for you,” Jeannie promised.

“We can’t –” Rodney’s mother started to interject, but she was interrupted by Jeannie.

“Mother, we’re going to be making some changes.”

Laura clapped her hands. “Yes! I’ll drive! Let’s go get your man!”

*o*o*o*

Bless Gram and her connections. A CATSA agent was waiting for Rodney and Laura to escort them through security and to the most likely gate John would be departing from. They didn’t have much time, and Rodney was practically running when he caught sight of John’s spiky hair in line for boarding.

“What do I say?” Rodney asked Laura, his heart pounding in his ears.

“Just be honest with him, Roddy.” Laura pushed him in John’s direction. “And don’t screw it up.”

“Thanks for moral support,” Rodney replied sourly.

He pushed his way through the crowd, stumbling over carry-on bags and bearing the brunt of more than one rude comment. John ended up seeing him first and stepped out of line, tugging Rodney’s arm to get him out of the way.

“What are you doing here?”

“I came to pick up my wedding date,” Rodney replied. 

John was already shaking his head, even before Rodney finished talking, and he looked sincerely regretful. “The contract is voided. Didn’t you get the envelope?”

“I did. I thought an explanation would be nice, though. You more than earned that money, John.” 

“I was unprofessional.” John rubbed the back of his neck, his whole body tense. 

“Is this about last night?” Rodney struggled to think of the right thing to say, which wasn’t a familiar concept to him; normally he just blurted out whatever was on his mind. John beat him to the punch.

“Do you know how I got into this business?” 

Rodney shook his head. He’d wondered, of course. Maybe John hadn’t really been kidding about the lingerie in the bathtub.

“I was engaged, once. And it…wasn’t a healthy relationship. Took me a while to get out of it, but when I did I promised myself I’d never find myself in that position again.” John shrugged, like it was no big deal, but Rodney could well imagine all the things he hadn’t said. “So I started Solitary Man. I have contracts, rules. I’m always in control.”

“Always?” Rodney echoed, remembering the feel of John moving against him, his lithe body undulating. It made his skin prickle with heat.

“No.” John looked at Rodney through his lashes, head ducked, and suddenly Rodney understood. _He’d_ made John lose his hard-won control. It was incredibly gratifying and terrifying all at once, having that kind of power over someone.

Rodney took a chance and reached out for John’s hand. Their fingers twined together automatically. Had it ever been that easy with anyone?

“I don’t know what your ex did to you,” he said, but woe to that person if he ever got a name. “But only a complete imbecile could fail to see how amazing you are.”

That surprised a laugh out of John and encouraged Rodney to continue. In for a penny, in for a pound.

“The last couple of days have been…different. Even when I was with Jennifer, it was never as good as it is with you. So maybe we could start over. Try this for real, without any associated paperwork?” Rodney tugged his hand out of John’s, then held it out. “Dr. Rodney McKay. Genius astrophysicist and head of my own R&D company.”

John’s lips twitched up into a smirk, and he shook Rodney’s hand. “John Sheppard. Entrepreneur and founder of Solitary Man. Retired.”

Rodney grinned, and when John moved in to kiss him, he met John halfway. There’d been a lot of kissing in the last two days, but that one…that one Rodney knew was for real, and it blew all the others right out of the water. And when Laura started cheering and wolf-whistling, the other passengers joined in. Rodney could feel John’s smile against his lips.

“Come on, lover boys,” Laura said, insinuating herself into their special moment. “There’s a bride and groom waiting on you.”

“We’re coming. Go get the car or something.” Rodney waved her off, all his attention still on John. “You don’t mind a little more family fun, do you?”

“I can take whatever the McKays can dish out,” John promised.

“That’s good. And after the wedding…maybe we make it to the bed this time?” Rodney knew he was being presumptuous, but he could imagine all too well what John looked like in a tuxedo. “Only you don’t try to flee the country after.”

“We’ll see how it goes.” But John kissed him again, soft and sweet, and when they walked away from the gate they were holding hands.

**One Year Later**

Meredith sat out on her front porch, enjoying the warm weather. She wanted to take advantage of the quiet and solitude before things got crazy again, as they always seemed to do. Soon enough she’d be a great-grandmother, and there would be a baby visiting her house again. And her daughter-in-law would be making everyone miserable in one fashion or another.

Theo came out, screen door slamming behind him. “Jeannie’s on the phone,” he said.

Meredith didn’t like cell phones, and refused to have one, but Theo did and all the kids had his number. He handed her the thing, and dropped down in the wicker chair beside hers.

“Jeannie! How are you enjoying Vegas, darling?”

_Kaleb and I are having a great time, Gram! There’s so much to see here, we’ve just been on the go every day._

“You’re not gambling too much, are you? You should spend that money on yourselves. The casinos have plenty.”

The trip had been Meredith’s gift to Jeannie and Kaleb for their wedding anniversary. Rodney and Johnny had met them there, and Meredith was so pleased that they were all getting along now. There was enough conflict in the family without her grandchildren fighting with each other.

 _Very little gambling, I promise. Mostly we’ve been sight-seeing. And Mer is like a buffet aficionado_. Jeannie laughed and Meredith laughed with her. _Mer has some big news for you. I’m texting a picture._

The phone pinged and Meredith handed it back to Theo, so he could do whatever he needed to bring the picture up. He immediately started laughing, and when he handed the phone back Meredith did as well.

Rodney and Johnny were kissing in the picture. They were wearing tuxedos, but the room they were in looked like the inside of a space ship. Jeannie stood on one side, flowers in her hand and wearing some kind of red mini dress that showed off her pregnancy-swollen belly, and Kaleb stood on the other side in a matching red shirt. Standing behind Rodney and Johnny was a man who looked very much like a young Leonard Nimoy, making a familiar sign with his hand.

They’d gotten married in one of those theme chapels.

“Is that legal?” Meredith asked.

“Evelyn’s going to have a heart attack,” Theo said.

_Totally legal. Mer said Mother can throw them a big party the next time they visit, but they wanted to get married on their own terms._

“That boy does _everything_ on his own terms,” Meredith said. She couldn’t be prouder of him. Jennifer had never been a good match for her grandson, but Johnny was perfect. He made Rodney happy, and that boy was long overdue for happiness.

_Don’t worry, I got some video too. I’ll show you when we get back. They were adorable, Gram. Wait till you see them._

“You send them my love and congratulations.”

_I will. I’ll call you before we leave. Love you._

“Love you too, sweetheart. Bye-bye.” Meredith handed the phone back to Theo, who took another look at the picture.

“Those boys were made for each other,” he said with a chuckle.

“Let’s call Evelyn.” Meredith grinned in anticipation. “I can’t wait to tell her the news!”

**Author's Note:**

>  **AN:** I started writing this fic for my dear friend smiles2go, for her birthday. Last year. So…better late than never? ::grins:: Smiles, you’ve been my best cheerleader, since almost day one. You asked for this fusion, and I hope it doesn’t disappoint. Happy belated (because of course I’m late this year too) birthday!!
> 
> Special thanks to [nagi_schwarz](http://archiveofourown.org/users/nagi_schwarz/pseuds/nagi_schwarz) for the quick and enthusiastic beta!


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